This Week On Rdio: February 4th, 2014

Over the past few years, I’ve slowly been listening to more and more of my music via Rdio – to the point where I use it almost exclusively. From time to time I’ll have to venture off-site for music that isn’t available through the service, but for music discovery it has become my #1 tool.

In order to try and get back into the swing of music coverage, here’s a selection of new – and new to me – music that I have found over the past week. Click the band and album titles for Rdio links.

When I first heard El Ten Eleven‘s self-titled album from 2005, their sound just seemed so obvious to me – and yet no one else had really been doing it; their post-rock meets math-rock sound was at once highly melodic and expertly detailed.

So now, the band has returned with their first set of non-remix material since 2012’s Transitions. Not too much has changed, but there are some tweaks: longer, stretched out atmospherics seem to be creeping in on their soaring and infectious instrumentals. A welcome return, if there ever was one.

Seems like a lot of albums dropped this week with pink and purple album covers (see: releases from Timber Timbre, ceo, and Tokyo Police Club). Aside from the fact that the cover art didn’t buck that trend, this album didn’t really wow me as I spun the first track.

It wasn’t until “Colony Glen’s” hook kicked in that decided to give Dunes few more minutes – because, what a hook it was. After rounding out the second half, I really started to dig this album. Dance-able electronic-psych-meets-full-band grooves with melodies that don’t shout for your attention, but when they sink in are super memorable. This will be getting some play in my heavy rotation, for sure.

Speaking of album covers, this suitably retro art caught my eye in the New Releases bin – and then I realized that it was, in fact, from 1971.

Turns out, Nelson Riddle worked as an arranger, orchestrator and composer with a number of huge artists – from Peggy Lee (one of my all time favourites) to Frank Sinatra. Changing Colors makes me feel like I’m simultaneously a contestant on an old game show, waiting in an elevator to reach my destination, and sipping on a martini in a vintage Las Vegas lounge. It’s something, alright, and I like it.

I stumbled upon the record label Morr Music after I fell in love with the albums of B. Fleischmann, Múm, and Lali Puna. Soon after, I found myself sifting through all of the albums released on the label, in search of… more music. Pun intended.

Anyway, I found a pretty nice little indie guitar-pop album – that reminded me a bit of The Sea and Cake – called Everybody Knows It’s Gonna Happen Only Not Tonight by The Go Find.After a few spins, I never really gave a second thought to what was a decent little discovery.

Now, their latest album Brand New Love popped up in my notifications, and it’s a bit of a departure. The full-band sound seems to have disappeared completely, and a low-key yet lush electronic sound has replaced it. Brand New Love doesn’t necessarily fit in with all the R&B revivalism going on, but there’s definitely an element of that at play here. Regardless, the album has really started to grow on me over the course of the past week. Highlights would include the slinky-beat driven ballad “The Lobby”, and the sad-sack summer’s end closer “The River” – with its synth-arpeggios and slow, head-nodding beat.

The Holy Mess‘ album Cande Ru Las Degas from 2012 is another new to me addition to my listening week. I can’t remember exactly how I ended up tossing it on – could have been the stark black and white album cover, could have been because I was on the Red Scare label page, who knows – but as soon as I gave it a spin, I knew it’d have a nice place in my collection. The Holy Mess are from Philadelphia and they play fast and catchy punk rock – dare I say pop-punk? – with gruff, bearded-dude vocals and gang chants. This album is destined to share shelf-space with bands like Iron Chic, Dear Landlord, and more – and that’s just perfect by me. I’ll be over here air drumming, and yelling along.